Couch Theater – July 8, 2021

#Middlebury #Movies

 

“Monsters at Work” – Ever wondered what becomes of graduates of Monsters University? Like many of us, recent grad Tylor Tuskmon finds out the work world isn’t always what we anticipate. Starting his new job as a mechanic on the Monsters Inc. facilities team, he finds that instead of scares, it’s laughter they’re after. This animated series sees the return of familiar “Monsters Inc.” characters Sulley and Mike, along with a host of new ones, including Val (voiced by Mindy Kaling) and Fritz (Henry Winkler). Four weekly episodes begin airing July 7. (Disney+)

B.B. King performing at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 in “Summer of Soul” (Courtesy Searchlight Pictures photo)

“Summer of Soul” (PG-13) – Overshadowed by the Woodstock festival held the same summer, the Harlem Cultural Festival celebrated African-American music, culture and Black pride. But footage of the multiple concerts sat idle and unseen for decades despite featuring some of the biggest names in popular music, like Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and the Fifth Dimension. More than 50 years later, the 1969 festival is finally brought forth in full color by musician and first-time director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. This remarkable treasure of 1960s Black culture was named the 2021 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner. (Hulu, theaters)

“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” (R) – If you missed this 1997 mystery thriller, pour yourself a bourbon neat and get comfortable. Highfalutin parties, eccentric Southern locals and romantic betrayal are supporting cast members to a high-society murder that centers the plot. Based on the best-selling novel by John Berendt, “Midnight” is directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Kevin Spacey, John Cusack and Jude Law. It’s based on real events that occurred in 1981 in Savannah, Georgia, and was filmed on location there. If you love moonlight, magnolias and Old South finery – as well as a whodunnit and why – this movie is a dream. (HBOMax)

“Luxe Listings Sydney, Season 1” – I can’t get enough of programs that remind me just how house poor I am. Even better is when they take place in locales I’ve never visited. If you, too, are curious what the power-posing, suit wearing, over-made-up men and women of real estate “down under” are doing, this is the series for you. This Amazon Original series features beautiful and pretentious people selling beautiful and pretentious homes for ridiculous prices throughout the coastal Australian real estate market. (Amazon Prime Video)

“High on the Hog” – This four-episode Netflix original documentary series traces the connection of traditional and modern-day Black cuisine back to its basic roots in pre-slavery Africa. Chef and food writer Stephen Satterfield travels to Western Africa and throughout the American South to learn how Black cuisine evolved, or sometimes, stayed exactly the same over centuries. With the help of African-American culinary historians and cultural preservationists, Satterfield explores how food traditions bridge the generations on two continents. While the interviews with locals are at times sleepy, the emotional and spiritual reactions Satterfield experiences are striking. Each episode is historically informative and culturally relevant. (Netflix)

© 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.